Born January 23, 1949, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where his parents still reside. Married to the former Nancy Joan Shimer of Cortland, New York. Three children, Jeffrey, Christopher and Sarah. He enjoys jogging, cycling, softball, sailing, and woodworking.

EDUCATION:

Graduated from Washburn High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1967; received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the United States Naval Academy in 1971.

ORGANIZATIONS:

Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Association of Space Explorers, the Naval Academy Alumni Association, and Sigma Pi Sigma.

SPECIAL HONORS:

Recipient of The Daughters of the American Revolution Award for the top Marine to complete naval flight training in 1976. Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Awarded the De La Vaulx medal by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in 1994. Personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement, the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership, two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, and three NASA Space Flight Medals.

EXPERIENCE:

After graduation from the Naval Academy, Cabana attended the Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, and completed naval flight officer training in Pensacola, Florida, in 1972. He served as an A-6 bombardier/navigator with Marine Air Wings in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and Iwakuni, Japan. He returned to Pensacola in 1975 for pilot training and was designated a naval aviator in September 1976. He was then assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he flew A-6 Intruders. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981, and served at the Naval Air Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, as the A-6 program manager, X-29 advanced technology demonstrator project officer, and as a test pilot for flight systems and ordnance separation testing on A-6 and A-4 series aircraft. Prior to his selection as an astronaut candidate he was serving as the Assistant Operations Officer of Marine Aircraft Group Twelve in Iwakuni, Japan.

He has logged over 5,000 hours in 33 different kinds of aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE:

Selected by NASA in June 1985, Cabana completed initial astronaut training in July 1986, qualifying for assignment as a pilot on future Space Shuttle flight crews. His initial assignment was as the Astronaut Office Space Shuttle flight software coordinator until November 1986. At that time he was assigned as the Deputy Chief of Aircraft Operations for the Johnson Space Center where he served for 2-1/2 years. He then served as the lead astronaut in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) where the Orbiter's flight software is tested prior to flight. Cabana has served as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in Mission Control during Space Shuttle missions, has served as Chief of Astronaut Appearances, and Chief of the Astronaut Office. A veteran of three space flights, Cabana has logged over 627 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-41 (October 6-10, 1990) and STS-53 (December 2-9, 1992), and was mission commander on STS-65 (July 8-23, 1994). Cabana will command the crew of STS-88, the first Space Shuttle mission to carry hardware to space for the assembly of the International Space Station. The 7-day mission is targeted for launch in July 1998.

SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE:

STS-41Discovery launched on October 6, 1990 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on October 10, 1990. During 66 orbits of the Earth, the five-man crew successfully deployed the Ulysses spacecraft, starting the interplanetary probe on its four-year journey, via Jupiter, to investigate the polar regions of the Sun; operated the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument (SSBUV) to map atmospheric ozone levels; activated a controlled "fire in space" experiment (the Solid Surface Combustion Experiment - SSCE); and conducted numerous other middeck experiments involving radiation measurements, polymer membrane production, and microgravity effects on plants.

STS-53 Discovery launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on December 2, 1992. The crew of five deployed the classified Department of Defense payload DOD-1 and then performed several Military-Man-in-Space and NASA experiments. After completing 115 orbits of the Earth in 175 hours, Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 9, 1992.

STS-65 Columbia launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 8, 1994, returning to Florida on July 23, 1994. The STS-65 crew conducted the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission utilizing the long spacelab module in the payload bay. The flight consisted of 82 experiments from 15 countries and six space agencies from around the world. During the record setting 15-day flight, the crew conducted experiments which focused on materials and life sciences research in a microgravity environment paving the way for future operations and cooperation aboard International Space Station. The mission was accomplished in 236 orbits of the Earth in 353 hours and 55 minutes.

ISS Finally completed in 2010 after a torturous 25-year development and production process, the International Space Station was originally conceived as the staging post for manned exploration of the solar systrem. Instead, it was seemed to be the death knell of manned spaceflight. More...

STS The Space Transportation System (Space Shuttle) was conceived originally as a completely reusable system that would provide cheap, routine access to space and replace all American and civilian military launch vehicles. Crippled by technological overreach, political compromise, and budget limitations, it instead ended up costing more than the expendable rockets it was to have replaced. STS sucked the money out of all other NASA projects for half a century. The military abandoned its use after the Challenger shuttle explosion in the 1980's. More...

Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. Thirteen astronauts, taken from 33 civilians and 133 military applicants for the 1984 selection. 59 of these were screened for the final selection.

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 02 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Five Americans and one Russian set off to begin building the International Space Station at 2:36 a.m. CST today, launching from Kennedy Space Center with the first American-built component of the station -- a connecting module named Unity -- in the Space Shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay. The shuttle's climb to orbit was flawless. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 4 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 03 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Endeavour's six astronauts wrapped up their first day in space a bit later than planned, at approximately 8:21 a.m. Central time today, when they began an abbreviated sleep period. Crew members were trouble-shooting a minor problem with the Orbiter Communications Adapter (OCA) system, which is used to transmit software files between the Space Shuttle and the flight controllers on the ground. A wake-up call from Mission Control is planned for 3:36 p.m. Central time, for the crew to begin their first full day of on-orbit activities. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 4 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 04 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. STS-88 Commander Bob Cabana and his crew received their first wake up call from Mission Control this afternoon at 3:36 p.m. CST to begin their first full day of on orbit activities. The crew were awakened with the song "Get Ready" by the Temptations, an appropriate description of the full slate of activities the crew will be involved with as they get ready for the important events of the flight by checking out the equipment and tools that will be utilized during rendezvous, docking and space walking activities. Additional Details: here....

On December 5 at 22:25 GMT Nancy Currie unberthed the Unity space station node from the payload bay using the RMS arm. She then moved the Unity to a position docked to the Orbiter Docking System in the payload bay in readiness for assembly with the Russian-launched Zarya FGB ISS component. After rendezvous with the Zarya FGB module, on December 6 at 23:47 GMT Endeavour grappled Zarya with the robot arm, and at 02:07 GMT on December 7 it was soft docked to the PMA-1 port on Unity. After some problems hard dock was achieved at 02:48 GMT. Unity and Zarya then formed the core of the future International Space Station. Ross and Newman made three space walks to connect cables between Zarya and Unity, on December 7, 9 and 12. On the last EVA a canvas tool bag was attached to the exterior of Unity to provide tools for future station assembly workers. Docking cables were disconnected to prevent Unity and Zarya from inadvertently undocking. Following an internal examination of the embryonic space station, Endeavour undocked at 20:30 GMT on December 13. The SAC-A and Mightysat satellites were ejected from the payload bay on December 14 and 15. Deorbit burn was December 16 at 03:48 GMT, and Endeavour landed at 04:53:29 GMT, on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center.

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 05 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Summary: Endeavour's astronauts began an eight-hour sleep period at 5:36 a.m. Central time following a full night of activity in which they checked out equipment that will be used in the assembly of the first two components of the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 10 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Newman; Ross. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Following a wake-up call from Mission Control at 11:41 a.m. CST today, Endeavour's six astronauts began preparing for the first of three scheduled space walks. The wake-up song, "Jerry the Rigger," was in honor of Mission Specialist Jerry Ross, who with fellow Mission Specialist Jim Newman, will conduct more than 18 hours of space walks during this flight. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 8 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 12 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. At the request of Commander Bob Cabana, Mission Control delayed Endeavour's wake-up call by one-half hour today, waking the crew at 12:06 p.m. CST, after the astronauts remained up past their scheduled sleep time to enjoy the view and relax following a very busy and successful day yesterday. The crew was awakened by Dwight Yokum's "Streets of Bakersfield," requested by the wife of Pilot Rick Sturckow, a California native. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 8 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 11 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. The first U.S. segment of the International Space Station came to life Monday night as the Unity module was activated for the first time. Activation followed the connection of electrical and data cables by Astronauts Jerry Ross and Jim Newman during a 7-hour, 21-minute space walk. Additional Details: here....

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 16 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Husband; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Endeavour's six astronauts awoke at 10:41 a.m. CST today and are preparing for a historic day - entry into the International Space Station for the first time. The crew was awakened to Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA," played for Mission Specialist-2, Nancy Currie at the request of her husband, David. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 10 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 18 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Endeavour's crew was awakened at 10:36 a.m. CST today to continue their work of preparing the International Space Station for future crews. "Trepak," a Russian dance from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" ballet, was played as the wake-up music in honor of cosmonaut and Mission Specialist Sergei Krikalev. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 11 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 19 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Barry; Cabana; Jernigan; Newman; Ross. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Summary: Endeavour's astronauts wrapped up the first visit inside the International Space Station and prepared it for undocking, closing the hatches for the final time to the new complex before it is left unpiloted Sunday.. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 11 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 17 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Gidzenko; Newman; Ross; Shepherd; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Endeavour's astronauts opened the new International Space Station for business Thursday, entering the Unity and Zarya modules for the first time and establishing an S-band communications system that will enable U.S. flight controllers to monitor the outpost's systems. Additional Details: here....

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 24 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Phillips; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Endeavour's crew awoke to the sounds of James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)," today, in honor of the good feelings evoked by this successful first International Space Station Assembly mission. That wake-up call from Mission Control at 11:36 a.m. today, marks the start of the final full-day of operations for the six-member crew of STS-88. Additional Details: here....

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 26 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Endeavour's astronauts awoke to the sounds of Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" today, and are now preparing for a return trip to Earth. The wake-up call came at 11:36 a.m. CST, and was chosen by the flight control team to energize the six crew members in anticipation of tonight's landing in Florida, marking the 10th nighttime Shuttle landing in the program's history. Additional Details: here....

1998 December 15 - .

STS-88 Mission Status Report # 25 - .
Nation: USA. Related Persons: Cabana; Currie; Newman; Ross; Sturckow. Program: ISS. Flight: STS-88. Summary: Endeavour's astronauts wrapped up their mission objectives and packed up their ship, ready for a landing late tonight at Kennedy Space Center and the end of the first mission to assemble the International Space Station.. Additional Details: here....